AMISOM deputy head urges military commanders to heed transition plan

Mogadishu, Somalia (PANA) - The Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (DSRCC) for Somalia, Simon Mulongo, has asked military commanders of the AU peacekeeping force in the Horn of Africa country to implement the transition plan as per dictates of the United Nations Security Council resolution on gradual reduction of troops serving in Somalia.

Mr. Mulongo made the remarks during a sector commanders’ conference to discuss issues related to the transition and transfer of security responsibilities to the Somali national security forces as mandated by the Security Council last year, according to a statement issued on Sunday by the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

AMISOM is expected to gradually reduce the number of its troops and reconstitute its forward operating bases with the cooperation of the Somali national security forces to ensure national security is not compromised during the transition period.

Mulongo said the transition process would require doubling of efforts to further degrade and defeat the Al-Shabaab insurgents to a level that they cannot pose serious threat to the Somali national security forces.

He reiterated that AMISOM is focused on implementing the transition plan and urged troops to readjust their strategies in the fight against Al-Shabaab.

“Everything we are doing now should be geared towards transition. The way you plan in your sectors, the way you plan in your units and other formations should be geared towards transition. How do we empower the local forces; how do we empower the local people so that they take over responsibility,” he said.

According to the DSRCC, the first phase of the transition plan would last four years and success would be measured against the ability of Somalia to conduct peaceful and secure one-person-one-vote elections in 2020, which, he noted, would be a major milestone if successful.
-0- PANA AR 15April2018